JTor

I really don't understand all the replies I'm getting. I've never cruised with Viking before, never been on this Board before, asked what I thought was a reasonable question with honest intentions. Several people have made replies that are helpful. Two or three people keep quoting me and saying weird things I don't understand and being insulting. I wasn't going to reply at all, but it's hurtful so it's hard to ignore. Yes, I have a travel agent, she is helping me with the booking but she told me that I need to work directly with Viking since it is their air programme (I could have booked air through TA but this was an included "cruise and air" package). I'm sure she will assist if something is actually wrong but I don't see this as an issue with her. I just wanted to understand if the challenges I am experiencing are "normal for Viking" or not. After all the posts I still don't know that. As for "cold hard reality", I do not think I live in a candy-coated world and I travel internationally 5-10x per year so neither do I think I am uninformed about the industry. Everyone has different experiences. Now, I really am not going to reply again and I hope I can figure out how to stop getting emails from CC so that those who wish to slam me can do so without me needing to be present for the slaughter. To the helpful people here, thank you and have a nice weekend.

Thank you and thanks to others who tried to be helpful. I will not give up on Viking cruisers. I don't need insults or negativity though, and it took me very much by surprise as I've never encountered it before on Cruise Critic (using boards for other lines). I am going to look into the charge on my CC for the "deviation fees" and probably involve my travel agent at this point but I suspect this may be my last time taking a booking with included air. Live and learn.

We are old Crystal fans, not on new Crystal until next year; just got off Explora in January. Explora is a luxury product and I agree with others that the ship itself is beautiful and the food is great (we were only onboard for a week so didn't get tired of menus but I think I could eat on that ship for at least 2-3 weeks with no problems - many options appeal on all the different restaurant menus and the buffet also has a very diverse selection). What I missed on Explora: lectures were not as many or as interesting; no ballroom dancing; no promenade deck (walking track is much shorter). The service was good but not as "loving" as I recall on Crystal. Agree about the dull itineraries but once Explora has more ships they will likely offer more options. The kicker for me at the moment is that the pre-cruise experience on Explora was dreadful..... serious website problems and not much help when we called them. They are working on fixing it. Right now that is a deal breaker for me. Also, they did not even read our feedback forms, in the end it was also because of a tech issue which I think they HAVE fixed now, but I did not feel sufficiently that they "cared" about guest experience and that leaves me very unsatisfied. Ultimately I was able to talk to a manager about our issues and she was sympathetic but no incentives offered to get us back on board so I am not feeling the love. In the next 18 months we are playing the field with Disney, Viking, AMAwaterways, Crystal, Windstar, Virgin and Cunard, so if we don't fall in love with any of them maybe I'll "date" Explora one more time and see if it has improved with a bit of maturity. Or maybe I'll get back on Silversea and Regent instead.

thank you will do

Hi Paula, I'm booked on part of the WC2025 and basically considering that I have booked a "mystery cruise". Current events in the world and especially Suez Canal and Middle East make it impossible for anyone to predict what will be happening in 2025 or 2026. I think the decision right now is more about whether you want an extended period of time on a Crystal ship, wherever it may be roaming. I would not book a WC right now specifically for certain ports, especially any of those that might be dependent on a ship getting through or around Africa. As someone who likes to plan way ahead and have certainty about the future, this is hard for me as I'm sure it is for many travelers, but it's just the reality of the world right now.

I avoid people whose first instinct is to greet new acquaintances with "horror stories" about their homes. I hope your life becomes less embittering in future. I will ask elsewhere for help with my issue, and bear in mind that unlike other boards on CC, the Viking one seems pretty unwelcoming. I do thank the others who tried to be helpful. Over and out.

Thanks to those who responded to me. Yes, I researched my flights and knew exactly what I wanted before my first call; they told me a bunch of options were NOT allowed (eg. no flights via Turkey), so then I made new choices "within those constraints". We're not asking for business class. I've now called Air Plus 6 times. My problem is that the representative from Viking Air who took my money and promised he would take care of my booking within a few days does not appear to have done anything in 1 month and does not return my calls. Is this unusual? As to "5 months out isn't late".... for us that is very late as we have many work and personal responsibilities and constraints and life will not go well if Viking tells us "100 days out" that we need to leave a different day or fly some unusual itinerary etc. I am already booking hotels, other flights, visits etc. Also.... I am sorry some of you have problems with airlines changing flights etc, but this has not been my experience - when I book personally on my preferred carriers for long-haul flights, they normally happen as scheduled or very close to as scheduled. We are not in the US and we are flying from a major hub which may make a difference to that issue.

Hi there I'm taking my first Viking Cruise so forgive me for not understanding. Normally I book my flights almost a year in advance for best chance of booking on points, best selection, etc. This Viking Air so far has been super frustrating because despite paying for both Air Plus and a Deviation fee (extra $500 for the 2 of us, so far), we are now 5 months from our cruise and we still don't have flights booked. I'm almost ready to give up and ask my travel agent to see if the airfare, Air Plus and Deviation fees can all be refunded and I'll just have to take what is left "booking late" by myself. Is there more I can do to try to make this process work? I have called Viking 6 times now.....

Hello - we are taking our first Viking cruise in October, Budapest to Bucharest. I opted to book with airfare included and paid extra for "Air Plus" on the understanding that I would have some say in my flights. I contacted Viking in early March and the agent was MOST unhelpful; I tried again late March and reached someone who seemed very helpful but he required me to pay an additional "deviation fee" (which I paid) and told me my flights would be posted according to my requirements within "3-4 business days". That was almost a month ago; nothing is posted; I've called 3 times to "his personal extension" but he never picks up and the voicemails I have left were not returned. I called and spoke to another agent who told me there is nothing in the system for me and no notes about my requirements - she was willing to help but it would be essentially starting over. Is this normal? is it some kind of scam? What do I need to do to sort out our (complex) flight arrangements? I've now spent an extra $500 over the price of the "cruise with airfare" and I don't seem any farther ahead. Thanks for any advice/tips.

Context: I sailed many times on old Crystal but my first NC cruise is 2025. I have been on Explora once (Jan. 2024). Unless the company changes dramaticallly, I will never cruise Explora again. OP was concerned about cabin size. This is just not an issue for us. We don’t spend time in the cabin. It’s a place to sleep, that’s all. Food, service, itinerary, entertainment and deck experience are WAY more important to us. The onboard experience on Explora was fine. The food was amazing. The ship is new and looks great. However, we will never sail with them unless something dramatic changes because they are SHOUTING VERY LOUDLY that they do not care about passengers. Website is a mess. Call for help, you don’t get it. We would not have been able to board at all if my agent didn’t escalate and escalate for us. No onboard future booking concession. No loyalty programme. Post cruise we filled all the forms and asked to be contacted. Waited 6 weeks, nothing. Wrote to their customer service department explicitly…. nothing. I don’t think they could communicate any more clearly that WE DO NOT MATTER TO THEM. I would rather be on an older ship in a smaller cabin but giving my money to a company that is at least willing to PRETEND they care. We’ve had good experiences with Silversea, Regent, Crystal and Oceania in the past - things weren’t always perfect but efforts were made to resolve any problems and we felt the companies valued our business. I know Star Clippers isn’t in the luxury sector but wow, we were booked with them when the tsunami hit Thailand and they were AMAZING at taking care of us. Explora? I feel they do not value my business at all. So why would I give them my money?

We are taking our first Viking river cruise from Canada and purchased with “included” air and paid the $100/person fee that was supposed to allow us to have the flights we wanted. First, we are about to cancel the Viking air and our agent has confirmed we will each get credited back just over $1000 which was the “air” portion of what we paid. This may not be the case with Americans as was suggested above. Why are we cancelling? Because I called and spent 2 hours trying to be very patient with the person who answered the phone…. clearly not a TA…. every question I asked resulted in “I need to ask my supervisor, let me put you on a short hold”. I was trying so hard to be nice and patient but “can I email with you” or “can I give you parameters and you can get back in touch with me” both were answered “no”. I just don’t have the time to stay on the phone and walk her through every option I’ve already looked up myself to see if Viking will allow it and how much extra they will charge. Any “deviation” incurs an extra $100 fee above what we already paid and every stopover $200 and they add these together and it’s all per person. Beyond that, the fine print says you may not get airmiles for your flights. Plus they won’t use certain air partners (we are Star Alliance and our best connections were with Turkish but Viking won’t work with them). It’s just easier to do it yourself or work with a real TA who doesn’t waste your time. Second, about Premium Economy (or Business for that matter). If you are price motivated or working with a budget these options will really never be “worth it”. They are designed for people who are not paying for themselves and want more comfort that the company will pay for, since they arrive well-rested and ready to work. As I get older, sleeping on an overnight flight becomes worth “a price above rubies”, and I sometimes choose to save my pennies for these categories of flight, but any time money is an object it will never be worth it from a pure financial perspective. Everyone on the plane is going to get to the same place and often the surcharge is MORE than you would pay to stay in a hotel overnight if you arrive a day early to “recover”. So if money is tight and time is more available, this can be a better option - just plan to fly a day early, stay in an affordable hotel, and you’ll still start your cruise feeling relaxed.

Thanks

Hi, sorry I can’t find this info anywhere. If we go into a bar or lounge for entertainment, games, etc is there anything there we can order that is included? Tea, coffee, iced tea, water…..? or is everything an up charge? If so, do they frown on people going to the soda fountains and bringing the free soda into the bar/lounge areas….? It seems very non-intuitive to me that non-alcoholic drinks are “included” but only in some locations not others…..

How can we find out if there is a connecting door before we agree to cabin?

Thank you both!! What’s the usual timeframe for opening advance bookings? I looked for a repositioning in 2026 but not listed yet

Hi Disney pros! appreciate your advice for our first Disney cruise. We are 2 adults late 50s , 38 past cruises and lately on luxury lines. We love the Disney parks and want to experience the magic on a cruise but a bit concerned about the number of kids and general crowds as we’ve been spoiled on luxury lines. Can’t imagine getting on and off again in 3 days so wondering about back to back or a repositioning cruise? Itinerary not important although prefer warmer weather and a visit to one of the private islands would be nice. Price sensitive for this booking so not concierge. What ship and/or sailing do you suggest?

Thank you for these posts. We are taking our first river cruise Nov2024 from Budapest to Bucharest. Anything we should be monitoring on that part of the river? I always wanted to sail through the “Iron Gates” so will be disappointed if we go on a bus

English only and bare minimum of announcements. Muster drill, captain once a day and right before sailaways, and disembarkation. I think that was it. We liked it. we met many Europeans on board who seemed to be having a good time. Not sure how it would be if someone truly spoke no English though

Oh and I forgot they morph into DJ every night after the late show which is much more contemporary music

My guess is you will find enough you like the entertainment is lower key, no big production shows. There’s a trio that plays classic rock, and several of the cabaret-style shows on our sailing featured your genres eg Whitney Houston and a sort of Fun Songs night with 80s and disco. The karaoke night was also mostly in your era. Of course there are other shows you might choose to skip. There is a fair bit of piano but so many bars and spaces, it’s easy to avoid if not for you. We had a magician, no comedian, but I’m sure the entertainers vary by sailing.

Thanks. I was shocked. Regardless of other discounts the message being sent is disrespectful its not about the money more the sense that one’s business is not valued

We were on Explora recently. Music isn’t “current” but there is a lot from the 90’s at least….

We cruised early January and loved the ship (website not so much), but were quite shocked when we tried to book a future cruise on board to get the usual discount. Quoted exactly the same price I could find from my phone without being on board or having cruised with Explora before. Got home and my TA confirmed they are NOT offering any onboard discount. The company has not contacted me since I got off either so it seems I also have not been enrolled into any kind of loyalty programme. Is this correct? they provide NO INCENTIVES AT ALL to cruise with them a second time? If so I really wonder what they are thinking….!? (and this doesn’t fit with the ‘We’re not a cruise it’s like a luxury hotel” concept either - every luxury hotel line I know of is VERY HAPPY to enrol me in their loyalty programme….)

I don’t tend to use TAs for any other segment of travel but for cruising they DO make a huge difference. It’s not a made up story.

The environmental policy on this ship is definitely one of their strengths. We are happy to drink the sparkling water generated and provided on board. They are absolutely opposed to single use plastic as anyone who loves the ocean should be. Perhaps some of the commercial sparkling water that is packaged in glass could be considered for water snobs.